Boat canopy support



Dec 24, 1957 R. s. WOODRUFF, sR 2,817,345

BOATCANOPY SUPPORT Filed Maron 14, 195s United States Patent() 2,817,345 BOAT CANOPY SUPPORT Ralph S. Woodrul, Sr., Point Pleasant, N. J. Application March 14, 1956, Serial No. 571,399 l Claim. (Cl. 13S-6) This invention relates generally to boats and, more particularly, to convertible canopies or tops for the hulls of such boats and structural members for supporting such canopies, including special fittings for securing and connecting said structural members, and means for protecting the surfaces thereof from the elements.

Metal structural parts, such as those on boats, which are subjected to the action of moist air and particularly such air when impregnated with salt, are apt to rust or corrode to a greater extent than parts not so subjected. My invention obviates the severe rusting of metal parts on boats, by covering the major portions of said parts, and particularly those which may be hollow with the metal thereof relatively thin, by means of a sheath of durable plastic material, which sheath may be sealed on the metal or separate therefrom, in combination with connecting means or ttings which assist in the operation of sealing at connecting points the sheath to the metal member which it protects` An object of my invention is to provide structural members for supporting a boat canopy over the hull of the boat, while allowing for disconnection and removal of said canopy when desired, the structural supporting members being protected by a sheath or coating of plastic, and the tittings connecting the members being of improved design and assisting in the protection of the metal parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide for connecting structural members particularly adapted to support a canopy over the hull of a boat in a novel and improved manner.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel means for connecting a structural support for a boat canopy to the hull of the boat near its top edge, as well as for improved means for connecting auxiliary supporting members to said primary support.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a boat canopy support of the character described, which is weather resistant, simple in construction, strong, durable, and economical to manufacture, and to obtain other advantages and results as will appear from the following description and claim when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. r

In the drawings, wherein throughout the several views characters:

Figure l is a perspective view` of a portion of a motor boat with a convertible canopy or top supported by frame members embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an elevational view. of the connection between two of the structural members illustrated in Figure l, with a portion being shown in longitudinal axial section.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3--3 of Figure 2, in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 2, but showing the end portion of the upper structural member in like parts are designated by corresponding reference ice elevation, with a portion of the protective sheath broken away at the right hand end.

Figure 5 is an axial sectional view on the line 5--5 of Figure 4 in the direction of the arrows, parts being shown in elevation.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view on the line 6--6 of Figure 5, in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is an enlarged View corresponding to Figure 5 but showing only the left hand end portion thereof.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary elevational view of the lower end portion of the lower frame member of Figure 2, showing in detail the fitting which connects it to the hull of the boat.

Figure 9 is a plan of the parts illustrated in Figure 8, with portions in horizontal section on the line 9-9 of that figure, in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings in detail, in Figure l there is shown a portion of a boat 11 comprising a hull 12 and a canopy or top 13. The canopy 13 may be formed of any desired material such as canvas, preferably made water-resistant and mildew-proof. Part of the canopy 13 is supported by an inverted U-shaped frame or structural member 14, the central portion of which underlies the front end portion of the canopy, and the ends of which extend for connection with ttings 15 adjacent the top edge of the hull 11, but the fitting at only the near side of the boat is illustrated.

There are also nearly vertical supporting members 16, one on each side, which may extend from the floor of the boat (not shown) for connection with the member 14 by means of fittings 17, only the nearest of which is illustrated. The rear end portion of the canopy 13 may be supported by an inverted U-shaped member 18, similar to the member 14 but with its lower end portions connected to intermediate portions of the member 14 by ittings 19, the rear one of which is partly hidden by the near leg of the member 14, which may be similar to the ttings 17 but reversed in position. Nearly vertical support members 21 cooperate with the members 18 in supporting the rear end portion of the canopy 13.

We are here primarily concerned with the protection of the frame members 14, 16, 18 and 21, which are desirably hollow metal tubes, and the connection of these members to one another by iittings such as 17 and 19, and to the hull of the boat by means of the fittings 15. Although only the members 14 and 18 of the above are particularly described, the other two may be of similar construction.

Let us trst consider the structure of the member 18 and the ttings 19 which connect it to intermediate portions -of the frame member 14, as shown most clearly in Figures 2 to 7, inclusive. The members 14 and 18 have elongate metal bodies which are here shown as `hollow metal tubes 22, an example being steel, with their ends ilattened as indicated at 23, and each protected by a sheath of plastic material 24 that is tough, durable and resistant to cracking, such as a vinyl compound. Other examples of suitable material are not mentioned because they are well known. These sheaths may be applied as hollow tubes directly over the metal tubes 22, after or before forming to the desired U-shape and after having the ends flattened and apertured as indicated at 25. After this is done, then the open ends of the sheath are suitably sealed around the curved flattened end portions, as indicated -at 26, by the application of similar plastic material. However, as an alternative, the plastic material may be applied as a coating over the entire outer surface of the tube 22 in the manner in which paint is applied, although I prefer to apply the sheaths 24 after they have been preformed from the plastic material.

The sheath 24 is sealed to the attened ends 23 at the apertures 25 in the member 18 by means of a grommet in an air-tight manner pressing and sealing the edge portions of the sheath securely around the opening 25' and protecting the surface of the material 22 enclosed in said sheath.

Although I have described in detail only the application of the sheath to the metal tube 22 of the member 18, yet it will be understood that each of the members 14, 16 and 21 is desirably similarly formed, that is, of metal, desirably steel tubing, enclosed in a protective sheath such as 24 and with their end portions flattened, apertured and with corresponding grommets sealing the sheath to lthe metal around each transverse aperture through which the eyelet portion of a grommet passes.

I will now describe the manner of connecting the end portions of the inverted U-shaped member 18 to intermediate portions of the inverted U-shaped member 14, such connection, however, being typical and applying also to the connections at the fittings 17 between the members 16 and the member 14. Fittings 19 connect the members 14 and 18. They include clamps 19a surrounding intermediate portions of the member 14, one of which is shown in detail in Figures 2 and 3. The body portion of each clamp 34 encircles the member 14, pressing tightly against the plastic sheath 24 thereof and thereby, through said sheath, clasping the protected metal rod or tube 22 therein. From the intermediate or body portted between the flanges 37 and 38 of a clamp 19a, a

screw 41 applied sequentially lthrough the lflange 38, the eye of the grommet at the ilattened end 23, and then threaded through the ange 37 to provide a tight, strong and simple connection between the parts at each end of the member 13. A similarconnection is made between the parts 16 and 14, as the litting 17 may correspond with the fitting 19.

The endsof the member 14 are connected to the upper edge portion of the hull v11 as illustrated in detail in Figures 8 and 9. There are tirst applied to each side of the hull 12 a fitting 42, only one of which is illustrated. Each of said tittings desirably comprises a hollow annular sheet metal ange 43 projecting from a hollow hub portion or connecting devices 45, the hollow hub portion 44 having secured thereto, as by welding or brazing indicated at 46, a nut 47. The lower ends of the member 14 are then secured -to these nuts by means of screws 48, the threaded Shanks of which pass through the eyelets of the grommets 49. Each grommet 49 i-s like a grommet 27 of the member 18 and applied to a correspondingly flattened, apertured and plastic sheathed end of the member 14 in a plied to the end portions of the member 18.

From the foregoing disclosure, it will be seen that I have provided, not only for the protection of desirably hollow metal frame members which support a canopy or top on a boat or the like, but also have arranged for the securing of such members to one another and to the hull of the boat, by means not interfering with the maintenance or the protection of such members against rust and corrosion. Although I have not shown protective coating on the grommets and the connecting fittings, yet it will be understood that the grommets may be made of cuprous material such as brass or other Weather-resistant material, and the fittings, if not of cuprous material, may be suitably protected from rust and corrosion by plating or other means Well known in the art. It will be seen that by virtue of my use of plastic sheathing over nearly all of the areas of the supporting frame members of the canopy, I have avoided a major source of annoyance and nancial loss, as well as added to the beauty of the construction. The protective coating may simulate enamel and be of a desired color. At the same time it is more durable than enamel, in that it will not chip from the members which it protects, because of its resiliency, and it may be made of a thickness suitable for long life.

While I have shown and described my invention as embodied incertain specific details of construction and relations of parts it is to be understood that the present disclosure is primarily illustrative of the principles of the invention and that modifications in details or construction may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

A corrosion resistant frame member having an aperture therethrough to receive an element for connecting said frame member to another part, said frame member comprising an elongate metal body portion and a attened portion through which extends a transverse cylindricalwalled aperture, a plastic corrosion resistant protective sheath having integral portions covering said elongate metal body portion and said flattened portion, and a grommet having an eyelet part extending through and lining said aperture, said grommet also having an exterior annular ange connected to each end of said eyelet part, each of said grommet flanges projecting outwardly from said eyelet part and tightly clamping between itself and one side of said attened portion of said frame member, the corresponding portion of said sheath throughout the circumference of said vcylindrical-walled aperture.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 65,085 Hunter May 28, 1867 633,306 Church Sept. 19, 1899 1,533,448 Noble Apr. 14, 1925 2,135,208 Bray et al. Nov. 1, 1938 2,162,309 Junghans June 13, 1939 2,462,993 Peters et al Mar. 1, 1949 2,513,764 Ahe July 4, 1950 2,656,857 Cavallier Oct. 27, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 114,827 Australia Mar. 19, 1942 

